Golf putter grip



Nov. 29, 1960 E. F. LOWDEN GOLF PUTTER GRIP Filed Oct. 10, 1957 Fig.2

Edwin E Lawden INVENTOR.

United Statesv Patntbf GOLF PUTT ER GRIP Edwin F. Lowden, 295 W.Commerce St., Ext, Bridgeton, NJ.

Filed Oct. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 689,283

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-165) This invention relates in general to new anduseful improvements in grip devices, and more specifically to a gripdevice for use in golf clubs.

In golfing, contrary to baseball and other sports, the

r 2,962,288 Patented Nov. 29, 1960 ice will become subsequently apparentreside in the details of construction and operation as more fullyhereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the hand grip in place on a golfclub shaft;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 1 and showsfurther the relationship between the golf club shaft and the hand grip;

Figure 3 is an elevational view showing a primary position of the handgrip with respect to both the users hand and shaft of the golf club;

Figure 4 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the hand grip, therelationship of the golf club shaft with respect to the hand grip beingshown by dotted lines;

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a gripattachment which may be used in golf clubs, primarily a putter, wherebythe right hand of a right handed player may firmly grip the golf clubshaft to produce both a power and a guiding stroke while the left handof the player engages the golf club only for the purpose of guidingthe'golf club.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved gripattachment for golf club shafts, the grip attachment being of -aconfiguration to be conveniently grasped in one hand and having a recessin that surface of the grip device which normally opposes the handreceiving the grip device, the recess extending generally transverselyof the grip device and receiving a golf club shaft.

It has been found that a golf club may be conveniently gripped for botha power and guiding stroke by the right hand of a right handed golfer ora left hand of a left handed golfer by placing the shaft of the golfclub between the index and forefingers of the appropriate hand andpermitting the shaft to ride across the palm and along the heel of thethumb. However, at first this grip will appear unnatural to a golfer andit is desirable that there be provided a convenient grip device whichmay be grasped in ones hand and which is provided with a recess forreceiving the golf club shaft so that the hand becomes accustomed to sogripping the golf club shaft.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grip device for golfclubs, the grip device being in the form of an elongated member which isintended to be grasped in the golfers hand, the elongated memberincluding a main portion which has a rear arm engaging surface and isconfigurated for receiving the little finger, the ring finger and indexfinger of a users hand, the elongated member also including a projectingportion which is provided with a circumferential recess for receivingthe forefinger and thumb of the users hand, the circumferential recessbeing spaced from the recess for the index finger, and there being agolf club shaft receiving recess in the rear palm engaging surface andopening through the lower surface of the main portion intermediate theindex finger receiving recess and the circumferential recess whereby agolf club may be conveniently gripped in ones power or strength hand forexerting both a power and guiding stroke therewith.

These together with other objects and advantages which Figure 5 is anenlarged end view of the hand grip; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the hand grip.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated the auxiliary grip device which is the subject of thisinvention, the auxiliary grip device being referred to in general by thereference numeral 10. The auxiliary grip device 10 is in the form of anelongated member or body which includes a main portion 12 and aprojecting reduced portion 14. The main portion 12 includes a rear palmengaging surface 16 which is configurated for convenient reception ofthe palm of the users hand. The main portion 16 also includes a lowersurface 18, a front surface 20 and an upperv surface 22-. The frontsurface 20 and the lower surface 18 are configurated so as to havetransversely spaced-recesses or grooves formed therein; These recessesincludea recess 24 for the little finger, a recess 26 for the ringfinger and a recess 28 for the index finger. As is best shown in Figure3, the recesses 24, 26 and 28 terminate adjacent the upper surface 22 ofthe main portion 16.

The projecting portion 14 is provided with a circumferential recess 30.The circumferential recess 30 is so configurated whereby it receivesboth the forefinger and thumb of the user. As is best shown in Figure 4,the circumferential recess 30 is spaced from the recess 28 for the indexfinger.

Formed in the rear surface 16 is a relatively deep recess 32 for thereception of a golf club shaft. The recess 32, as is best shown inFigure 4, is disposed in an angular relation to the major axis of thegrip device 10 and opens through the lower surface 18 of the mainportion 16 in the space between the recess 28 and the circumferentialrecess 30.

The grip device 10 may be formed of any desired material and will bepreferably formed of a plastic in view of the fact that that material isboth light in weight and may be very economically molded.

When it is desired to use the grip device 10, the grip device 10 isgenerally positioned on the grip portion 34 on a golf club shaft 36, asis best shown in Figure 3. The palm of a users hand 38 is then engagedwith the rear surface 16 and the grip portion 34 of the golf club. Oncethe hand 38 has been positioned as is illustrated in Figure 3, thefingers of the hand 38 are curled upwardly into their respectiverecesses with the forefinger and index finger of the hand 38 beingdisposed on opposite sides of the grip portion 34. The thumb of the hand33 is then moved downwardly into the circumferential recess 30 inoverlying relation to the forefinger, as is best shown in Figure 2.

When the grip device 10 is properly positioned and grasped by the hand38, the shaft 36 or the grip portion 34 thereof will pass between theforefinger and the index finger and be grasped thereby. The grip portion34 will then pass along the normal longitudinal concavity of the handwhen it is in a grip position, passing across the palm of the hand atthe heel of the palm or thumb. By so grasping the golf club shaft 36,the user of the golf club may exert both a power and a guiding strokewith his strength hand. In other words, the grip device would bepositioned in the right hand of a right handed golfer. The left hand 40of the golfer would grip the upper part of the grip portion 34 of thegolf club in the conventional manner. However, it would serve to guidethe golf club in its stroke and not function to exert a major portion ofthe power of the stroke to the golf club.

The grip device 10 is primarily intended to be used only as a trainingdevice and once the player becomes accustomed to gripping the golf clubshaft in the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the grip device10 may be ultimately dispensed with.

The grip device 10 will be used to the best advantage by a novice userthereof with the putter. However, with continued practice the gripdevice 10 will also be useful with nearly all of the irons and this willpermit a much steadier game.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de- I Incombination with sports equipment having an elon- I gated shaft adaptedto be grasped in the hands for manipulation, an auxiliary grippingdevice comprising an elongated body having a length generally equal tothe width of the palm of a hand of a user, the inner surface of saidbody forming a palm engaging surface and shaped v 'to' conform to thesurface of the palm of a hand, the

outer surface of the body having a plurality of transversely spacedfinger receiving recesses therein forming grooves for receiving theouter end portions of the fingers of a hand when the hand is in grippingengagement with the body, the bottom edge of said body having recessestherein forming continuations of the recesses on the outer surfacethereof forming grooves for receiving the inner end portions of thefingers, the top edge of said body having an inclined and curved surfaceconforming generally to the surface of the heel of the palm of the handand the base of the thumb when the hand grips the body, said palmengaging surface of the body having an elon gated recess thereinextending transversely of the body, said elongated recess beingconsiderably deeper than the relatively shallow finger receivingrecesses, said elongated recess receiving the shaft of the sportsequipment with the surface of the shaft being disposed adjacent the palmengaging surface whereby the shaft of the sports equipment will befrictionally engaged by the palm of the hand, the middle and forefingerand the heel of the palm of the hand with the gripping force exerted onthe assembled body and shaft forming the sole means for maintaining theshaft, body and hand in adjusted assembled relation, the lower end ofsaid elongated recess intersecting with the lower edge of the bodyintermediate the finger receiving recesses which receive the forefingerand middle finger whereby the shaft will extend therebetween, the upperend of the elongated recess intersect: ing the top edge of the bodygenerally in alignment with the central portion of the heel of the palmof the hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain 1929 ear-w i Jinn

